The Sky Of the Past, the Sea of Mirrors
by Yukina-Raven
Summary: She cannot help but to wander, searching for a missing brother. And the only thing she can remember is a single name: 'Rokuta'.
1. I :: the message

_Rokuta._

The girl staggered down the muddy road. The rain was relentless as it often was during the rainy season. Even if it wasn't raining, everything was wet and muddy. Traveling along these roads was a very difficult task now. Whether on foot, horseback or cart, the sinking mud made travel slower than ever. Flying was the only way to get around, but that was not an option for her. Trekking through the mud made the muscles in her skinny legs burn. Her whole body ached, protesting her movement. She had not eaten in days and had survived on the rainwater that fell from the dark sky. Her feet were bloody and swollen from walking without protection. Various cuts and scrapes were infected, including one on her right heel that made walking even more painful.

She tripped, right at the center of a crossroad. The mud seeped into her nose as she sunk into the ground, but she no longer cared. Her long black hair was tangled and filthy with blood and grim. It was so long it reached her ankles because she did not even think of cutting it. Her clothing had been worn for days and it was falling apart. The rain had soaked it clean through and blood stains spotted along the back of it. It was dirty and had holes here and there. Now it was muddy as well as she lay there still as stone. She had a passing thought that soon she really would be stone, for she was about to become a corpse. The girl knew she would die here on this muddy road.

The rain began to fall heavier now and she closed her eyes. She was so cold she felt her fingertips and her toes begin to grow numb. A painful ache gripped her chest and she whimpered, but the sound was lost in the rain. She could not remember who she was or where she came from. She barely even knew how to speak. Yet despite all that, one name had stayed with her. It floated in her mind as a pressing desire to find the person it belonged. That one name that had kept her going all this time.

_Rokuta_.

* * *

"I suppose," Itan sighed, "that it really is too much to ask that you actually pay attention during the morning conferences."

The bearded man turned in time to see Shouryuu smother a yawn with one hand. His eyebrow twitched. Beside the king was Enki, leaned up against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be asleep.

Beside Itan, Shukou gave a soft sigh. "One step at a time, Itan."

"Considering every conference has been going smoothly for a long time, you can't blame me," Shouryuu cut in with a lazy smile.

"How can you say that?" Itan snapped, face beginning to go red with anger. "You make it sound like that's a bad thing!"

"Not at all," Shouryuu replied. "Besides, I even stayed awake this time. I'm improving!"

Itan scowled and Shukou cleared his throat loud enough to startle Enki, who nearly toppled over. "Your Majesty received the letter from Kei, did he not?"

Shouryuu smiled. "Of course. Rokuta and I will be accepting the invitation."

The blonde haired boy glanced at the king from the corner of his eye. Meeting his gaze, Shouryuu gave a slight nod. "We'll leave tomorrow and we should make it by nightfall for the festival."

The king stood, adjusting his robe slightly as he did. "If you hear from Seishou while we're gone, send a message, would you?"

"Of course, Your Majesty," Shukou replied. He gave a slight bow as the king walked by, exiting the room with Rokuta trailing after him.

"Where are you going?" Itan demanded. "You still have paperwork to sign and seal before you leave tomorrow!"

Shouryuu gave him a lazy wave in reply as he walked. He rounded a corner and vanished. Shukou sighed again.

Walking along the edge of the palace, Shouryuu observed all the blooming cherry trees in the garden. En had been lucky this year to have an unusually mild winter. Generally the kingdom was colder than the other kingdoms because of its northeast location. Though not as cold as Tai and Hou, En had its share of nasty blizzards and temperatures that fell well below zero. This year, however, they had been lucky and as a result the spring was a lush one. Not that it mattered here on Kankyuu. The weather was always fair here.

"You look like you're thinking about something important," Enki commented from beside him. He was staring up into Shouryuu's face with a deep frown. "That's unusual."

Shouryuu blinked. "Is it? I think deep thoughts all the time."

"No you don't."

"How would you know for sure?"

"Oh I know."

"I don't think you do."

"You're thinking about girls. That's all you think about."

"If that were all I thought about, then surely En would not be such a prosperous kingdom."

"That's because I'm here."

"And surely if you were the only one here, En would not be such a prosperous kingdom either."

Enki glared and Shouryuu smiled back. "Well, I could use a drink."

The kirin made a face at him. "Are you serious? The sun hasn't even reached its peak yet."

"It's never too early for a drink."

Enki sighed and stopped walking. He watched as Shouryuu gathered his usual jug of saké and the small cups that went with it. He knew the ministers would be angry if they found out Shouryuu was skipping his paperwork to drink. He thought about telling on him, but decided against it. Instead he followed Shouryuu into the gardens.

"I can't believe Keiki let Youko have a festival," Enki commented when they reached the center.

Shouryuu sat on one of the stone benches by a shallow pond, pouring himself a drink. "Kei has been doing very well lately. He most likely had no excuse to refuse her."

Enki plopped himself down on the grass by the bench, sitting cross-legged and closer to the shore of the pond. "I'll say. I don't care too much about the reason, but the fact that so many kirins and rulers decided to come is what interests me."

"It interests you, does it?"

"Yeah. I mean it just shows how well things are going nowadays. The kingdoms are so stable that rulers and kirins can leave them for a few days to enjoy a festival."

Shouryuu laughed. "Youko has done a great job."

The conversation continued after that. King and kirin talking casually with one another, speaking of the state of En and teasing each other lightly. It was a peaceful sight to the palace officials that happened by. It was much more common to see the two arguing than it was to see them at peace. Indeed, the serene mood in the En palace could be reflected almost everywhere now. The Twelve Kingdoms were enjoying a rare moment of peace lately where most of the kingdoms were stable. Although many were still suffering without kings, like Hou and Kou, elsewhere things were getting better. Kei especially had improved greatly since Youko had taken the throne. Shouryuu in particular was happy about this. He and Youko had shared a close friendship since they had first met. Seeing her evolve from a reluctant empress to a commanding queen made him proud.

The two sat and talked for a long time before the peace was shattered. Heavy footsteps could be heard, drawing closer. Enki turned to glance over his shoulder just in time to see Seishou rushing towards them. He was completely out of breath by the time he reached them and looked a little haggard. This startled both En Ou and the kirin.

"Something the matter?" Shouryuu inquired.

The serious look that Seishou gave him spoke volumes. "There's been… a massacre."

"What…?"

"Tei Province… We found a messenger from the town of Dashinku when we were traveling through it. He said the entire city had been destroyed."

Shouryuu stood quickly, placing his saké cup on the bench. "That's impossible."

Seishou shook his head. "A few of my men and I went to investigate when we were told. It's a graveyard. There was hardly anyone left."

Although the run was warm, Shouryuu suddenly felt cold. He could feel Enki tense up beside him.

"We brought the messenger with us, but he isn't going to survive much longer. He said there was something he had to tell you and could not let anyone else's ears hear it."

"I understand. Take me to him at once."

Seishou gave a small nod and turned. He began to lead the way only to stop when he heard an extra set of footsteps. Turning slightly, the general frowned at Enki.

"Taiho, you must stay here. The man is gravely injured. Even I can smell the blood on him. I'm sorry."

Enki wrinkled his nose at the mere thought. If a human could smell blood, then he would be overwhelmed. Shouryuu nodded at his kirin.

"In that case, stay put and don't come anywhere near the west side of the palace," he ordered.

"Okay…"

Seishou and Shouryuu left the gardens, leaving Rokuta standing by the pond all by himself. An uncomfortable feeling of uneasiness swept over him. He lifted his thumb to his mouth, biting down lightly on his fingernail. How could a whole town be slaughtered like that? Not even youma would've done such a thing. But there was something else about this that left the taiho feeling on edge; something he couldn't put his finger on.

The room the messenger was being kept in was generally reserved for important guests. When Shouryuu entered he understood why Enki could not be allowed near here. Not only could he smell the blood, but also the man appeared to be bleeding profusely from a wound on his face. The entire left side was bandaged but the white was now stained completely through with red. Shouryuu had to guess that perhaps the man was missing an eye.

"We are unable to stop his bleeding," Shukou said when the king entered. "It won't be much longer now…"

The three officials Shukou, Seishou and Itan stood near the door as he entered, keeping just out of earshot as requested. As Shouryuu approached he realized the messenger was not a man but a boy. He appeared in his early twenties, perhaps his late teens even. The king knelt beside his bed and boy turned sharply. Blood was caked to the right side of his face and after a moment Shouryuu realized his ear was gone.

"I am Shouryuu, King of En. Tell me what has happened."

The man's jaw moved several times before his voice actually came out. It was strained and weak. It was so hoarse that it sounded like it belonged to a much older man.

"Your… Majesty," He whispered. "There was no… reason. She just started… killing people." He coughed violently and blood tricked down the corner of his mouth. "My message…"

From where he stood near the entrance, Shukou could not hear what the man was muttering to the king. However he did see Shouryuu tense and then jerk back, shock mixed with confusion clear on his face. He frowned when he saw it and felt a sense of uneasiness wash over him then. Everything had happened so fast that he still didn't know what was going on. That a whole town had been slaughtered seemed too farfetched even if Seishou had seen it with his own eyes. As he watched, the man eventually went still and Shouryuu remained kneeling for a long time. Then he stood and turned, looking more serious than any of three men standing there had ever seen him.

"Shukou, send a letter to the Queen of Kei with my apologies that we won't be seeing her tomorrow. Things have gotten a little… complicated all of a sudden."

_My message… is from the one responsible. It is… the only thing she ever said…_

'_Rokuta'._


	2. II :: gatherings & slaughters

Lord Gyousou let out a soft sigh. He had discovered quickly after becoming king that royal gatherings were not his thing. He was a solider and thus use to the duties of a solider. Usually this did not include attending balls and listening to nobles prattle on about their lands. Speaking of, beside him the Queen of Kyou was talking to him. She was so young looking that it was easy for him to forget she was his equal. He hadn't yet figured out if he liked her or not. Had it been up to him, Gyousou would have never attended this gathering. Not that he didn't appreciate the invitation, but he saw no need to have parties though this may have been because such things were what caused Tai's previous king to lose the Way.

Light laughter broke his train of thought and mercifully caused Shushou to stop speaking. Gyousou turned his attention to the source of the sound, a group of fair-haired people standing in the center of the room. They were the taihos of the kingdoms that were present. At some point they had all managed to break away from their master's to come together. Gyousou easily spotted Taiki's black hair among the others. He smiled slightly at the sight of Taiki's cheerful face. Indeed Gyousou had not wanted to come, but Taiki had. He had been so eager to see Keiki, Renrin and Enki that Gyousou hadn't had the heart to refuse him. Currently Renrin was telling a story to the other kirins, which was apparently causing the laughter. Taiki looked fascinated by whatever she was saying, his eyes bright and curious.

"Ren is still unstable, yet Renrin and her ruler came anyway," Shushou spoke up from beside him. "That's awfully irresponsible."

Gyousou sighed and the queen smiled. "My point is that if they have the time, why has King En and his kirin not bothered to arrive?"

For the first time Gyousou turned to look down at her. He arched a thin eyebrow at her. "I hardly think it's wise to start gossiping about other kings."

Shushou gave him a flat look. "I'm concerned, King of Tai. En is far more stable than any other kingdom right now. There shouldn't be anything keeping him from coming, right?"

"Just because a kingdom is stable doesn't mean it can't have its share of problems. Perhaps something unexpected came up or maybe they're just running late. Maybe he just didn't want to come."

Although Gyousou had to admit that she had a point. He had been looking forward to seeing the King of En again almost as much as Taiki had been to see Enki. But both were mysteriously absent. Perhaps he really was just late but Gyousou wasn't so sure. Speaking of being late, he had yet to see the Queen of Kei. Keiki was here, standing with the other kirins, but she seemed mysteriously absent. Occasionally Gyousou caught Keiki glancing around with a deep frown on his face. Something must be going on that he was unaware of.

As it turned out, Gyousou's hunch was fairly accurate. The queen in question was pondering heavily over the letter she had recently received from the King of En. Youko was troubled by the suddenness more than the content. The letter was simple and it told her only that they would not be attending. Yet the way it was written caused Youko some alarm. She couldn't shake the feeling something just wasn't right.

"I think you might be overacting," Suzu said from her seat on Youko's bed. "Maybe he just got busy."

"Maybe…"

However Youko knew Shouryuu wasn't one to just skip a chance to take a break from his kingly duties. Only something very important would keep him away. Sighing, Youko rolled up the scroll and placed it back on the small table in the center of the room. She was dressed up in her formal attire but the arrival of the letter had stopped her from stepping out. She knew Keiki was going to scold her about it later. It must've looked very informal for the kirin to arrive without or before the ruler.

Suzu hopped of the bed and approached her, fixing something on the back of Youko's garment. She was also dressed up nicely, though she wasn't nearly as stunning as Youko.

"I guess this means Rakushun wouldn't be coming," Youko sighed. "I was looking forward to seeing him, too. It's been awhile."

Suzu glanced over Youko's shoulder. "Why wouldn't he come?"

"Enki was going to bring him along when he and En Ou arrived. But if they aren't coming…"

Suzu finished what she was doing and patted Youko's shoulder. "You can see him another time, right? Right now you should get out there and greet everyone."

Youko nodded dejectedly.

* * *

"The one behind these murders spoke the Taiho's name?" Shukou asked in disbelief. "That's what the messenger said?"

Shouryuu nodded. "They used his Hourai name to boot. I can count on my fingers how many people know that name. But what's also troubling is the way he made it sound like one person was responsible for this."

"That's impossible," Itan snapped. "Even several youma wouldn't have been able to lay waste to a city so quickly. This whole thing sound suspicious."

"There's no doubt Dashinku was destroyed," Seishou said. "I saw it."

"No one is doubting that," Itan replied with a wave of his hand. "Clearly something happened. I hardly believe, however, that what the messenger said was true."

"A dying man certainly wouldn't waste his last breath on a bunch of lies," Shukou said thoughtfully. "He is more likely to spill out the truth if anything at all."

The three men fell silent at that, pondering those words. Shouryuu had his gaze glued to the floor the entire time in thought. He had a theory but there were too many holes in it. In truth he was at a complete loss of what to make of this, but the King wasn't going to accept defeat so easily.

"Where is the Taiho now?" Seishou asked to break the silence. "Perhaps the next logical step would be to ask him."

"He is presumably in the gardens where he was left," Shukou replied.

"He doesn't know anything," Shouryuu said and finally lifted his gaze to stare at them. "Whoever is behind this, I don't think they know Enki personally. How they got his name is a different story but I don't think it's from knowing him."

"Then how…?" Shukou began but trailed off as Shouryuu stood.

"I want to see Dashinku for myself."

Immediately the three officials stiffened. Shouryuu waved a lazy hand at them. "I won't go by myself. Seishou, you and some of the men are coming with me."

Seishou looked relieved if also a little baffled. He bowed at the waist respectfully. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Shukou, keep an eye on Enki and tell him he has to stay here. Until we've figured this out, I think that's for the best."

Shukou bowed as well and Shouryuu left the room to change. He wasn't sure what he was expecting to find but he knew some answers were waiting there beneath the rubble.

* * *

After Youko's formal introduction and welcoming to everyone attending the gathering, she took the chance to meet the other rulers who had attended. Naturally she was not allowed to mingle with anyone else but them. This was all right with her for now. After all, Rakushun wasn't here so she had no reason to want to. She still felt sad about not seeing her friend. Even Suzu's encouragement hadn't helped much.

It was interesting, Youko thought, meeting her fellow rulers. She actually ended up being more interested in meeting the other kirins. Aside from her own, she only really knew Enki. Gathered today were the kirins Taiki, Renrin, Sairin and Kyouki. As most people seemed to do, Youko took a quick liking to Taiki and vice versa. Youko also enjoyed her visit with Kouko, who struck her as very wise and kind. Likewise she related well with Seitaku, who did not care for and was unfamiliar with formalities.

At some point, Youko didn't remember exactly when, Shoukei arrived and beside her stood Rakushun. At seeing him, Youko brightened. She hurried over to them, moving as fast as possible in her heavy robes.

"Rakushun! You made it!"

The young man scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Yeah. I was surprised when Shoukei showed up instead of the Taiho of En. She said she had come to pick me up."

"I didn't think it was him when I first saw him," Shoukei laughed. "But I guess it's really him. He said it would probably be better if he came in his human form. Anyway I thought after you got that letter I'd go get him myself."

Youko abruptly hugged her. "Thank you so much, Shoukei!"

Behind her she heard Keiki sigh. The stoic kirin was now standing beside her with the all too familiar look of annoyance on his face.

"Your Majesty, this is a room only reserved for royalty. Rakushun and Shoukei are not allowed in here. For that matter, neither is Suzu."

Suzu poked her head out from around Keiki, smiling at Shoukei. The blue haired girl waved at her in return and Keiki sighed again. He knew this must've looked so horrible to the other rulers and kirins gathered…

"You are Rakushun, correct?"

Everyone in the small group gathered near the door turned at the voice. Renrin stood before them with her hands folded lightly in front her. At her side was Taiki and by his side was Gyousou. Rakushun, immediately intimidated by the three so above his class, shrank back slightly.

"Y-Yes, that's me, Taiho..." he stammered.

Renrin smiled. "I have heard of you from the Taiho of En. He once mentioned your name to me and for some reason I did not forget it."

Rakushun turned red and Youko tried not to giggle beside him. Renrin continued, "I'm sorry to bother you so soon after your arrival, but I have a question to ask you. Do you know what has befallen the King of En and his kingdom?"

"Befallen…" Rakushun echoed, looking alarmed. "Why, did something happen?"

"We're concerned about his sudden decision to not attend," Gyousou replied. "It struck a few of us as odd. Renrin mentioned that you currently live in En so we though you might have heard something."

"No... I'm afraid I haven't heard anything. I'm sorry I can't be of more help to you, Your Majesty."

Gyousou frowned and did not reply. Perhaps they were all just worrying about nothing.

"I see," the white haired man sighed. "Thank you."

As he turned away, Rakushun touched Youko's shoulder lightly. She gave him a curious look and the two remained frozen as the others surrounding them moved away save for Keiki. After a few seconds, Rakushun gave Youko a serious look.

"I didn't want to mention this in front of everyone, but… well, I thought it was unusual that the En Taiho never showed up. In the past he would always arrive at the time he told me he would. He never once didn't show up, even if it was just to tell me he couldn't stay long. I thought it was unusual but didn't think much of it until the Taiho of Ren asked me that question."

A deep frown tugged on Youko's lips. "I see…"

"Your Majesty shouldn't concern herself with it," Keiki told her sternly. "If there are problems, the King of En is more than capable of handling it."

"I know," Youko replied. "But Shouryuu has done so much to help me that it would be rude to not at least make sure he's all right. Keiki, could you please have a letter sent to him for me? I just want to make sure and to offer him my help if I can."

Keiki did not seem too happy about the idea but Youko was expecting that. They stared at each other for a moment before the kirin sighed and gave a small bow to her.

"As Your Majesty wishes."

The taiho left Youko to her guests to fulfill her request. In some regards he understood what she was trying to do. A letter to make sure things were well wasn't the problem. The problem was that if things were not well Keiki knew Youko would rush off to help her friends without a second thought. That was just how Youko was and while it was part of the reason why she made a great ruler it was also the reason she got into frequent trouble. Even if they both knew Shouryuu could handle himself (five hundred years have proved that) it would still not stop her. Besides Kei still needed their Queen. The kingdom was not quite out of the woods yet.

Keiki turned out onto the narrow walkway that wrapped around the palace exterior. The air was chilly and the wind stirred almost unnaturally. It caused him to pause the moment he felt it, staring up into the sky with a small frown. The wind was familiar and it made him uneasy.

"Taiho of Kei, you have chosen a very unique ruler."

Keiki turned to see Renrin standing a few paces behind him. She was smiling gently with her hands folded in front of her. Keiki noticed she was holding something in her palm but could not see what.

"The ruler or Kei and the ruler of Ren are similar," she continued, glancing out into the garden near by. "They have little regards for formalities."

"This does not seem to bother you," Keiki pointed out.

Renrin laughed. "I have grown accustom to it. After all, if he was more familiar with formalities then there would be no need for me."

A stronger gust of wind ruffled the hair and clothing of the two kirins. A blizzard of cherry blossoms from the near by trees was carried on the breeze, floating around them as they stood. Renrin and Keiki turned their gazes to the sky again. It remained a lovely shade of blue though it was now clouded with pink and white petals.

"It would seem something is indeed happening," Renrin observed.

"It feels like a shoku is approaching," Keiki said matter-of-factly.

"Yes…" Renrin turned her head in the direction the wind was blowing. "But it comes from En."

* * *

It was still raining.

_Why does it always rain on us while the people above the clouds enjoy never ending sunlight? Why do the Heavens hate us common people? Why? Without us there would be no kingdoms and no Heaven._

Sitting propped up against a tree, Shiori's amber brown eyes stared into the cloudy sky. The raindrops rolled down her face and stung her eyes but she did not look away. The sickly girl with the torn clothes and the long black hair had been found on the muddy road by what she assumed to be a platoon of soldiers. They were a rather plain lot and looked like they had seen many battles during their travels. The captain, who had stopped the whole platoon to avoid crushing her, had picked her up. From there her injuries had been treated and her clothing changed. She had been fed bland food and given plenty of water. Slowly but surely she had regained her strength.

That had been several days ago. How long exactly she wasn't sure, but it was long enough for her to recover most of her strength and for her to travel with the platoon for quite a distance. Now she sat outside in the rain, clinging to a damp blanket to keep the chill away. A strange wind had been blowing lately so it was even colder than before. The leaves and branches of the tree kept her relatively dry but not quite dry enough. However Shiori had begun to grow uncomfortable staying in a tent full of men.

Heavy footsteps caused her to lower her gaze. She stared at the armored shins of the captain, who then proceeded to crouch before her to meet her gaze. He was a middle-aged man with a friendly face, but his eyes frightened Shiori. They belonged to a man who had taken many innocent lives.

"You shouldn't be sitting out in the rain like this," He told her kindly. "You'll catch a cold. You're still recovering you know. We crossed the border into En not that long ago. Rest up until we can get you to see a real doctor."

Shiori blinked slowly at him and the water from her eyelashes fell down her cheeks. The captain chuckled at her.

"Not very talkative, huh? Well that's all right." He squinted at her slightly and studied her. She shifted uncomfortably and looked away. "You don't look much older than fifteen, I'd gather. Did you lose your parents?"

Shiori nodded. The captain sighed softly and gave her a gentle pat on the top of her head. Then he stood as a smaller man came rushing over to him.

"Captain, in the sky! Youma!"

The captain's face darkened. "Quickly, get to your mounts! We have to get out of here before they find us!"

Shiori was pulled quickly to her feet. She jumped, startled at the sudden movement. Before she knew what was happening the captain was tugging her along until he eventually scooped her up in his arms. A horrible screech filled the air and the sound of wings alerted her to the youma attack. Looking up, Shiori spotted a flock of large black birds.

"Kingen!" someone shouted. "Don't let the tails get you!"

Everything after that was a blur. The platoon didn't get very far before the Kingen descended on them. Once they did everything became a blur of black and red. The sounds of shouting and screaming and screeching echoed so loudly in her ears that Shiori thought she would go deaf. Suddenly a great force slammed into the captain carrying her. She went flying and hit the ground painfully hard, rolling off the path and into some underbrush. Sharp thorns dug into her skin and Shiori covered her face. She didn't roll very far and when she stopped she remained completely still. Her breathing was rough and her chest hurt with fear. She heard the sound of the battle near by but it was no longer deafening.

It felt like an eternity before the sounds of the battle change. Although she couldn't tell what was going on, the noises suddenly unburied a memory. The sounds of beasts falling and swords slitting throats filled her ears. Eyes squeezed shut, her mind's eye saw a city engulfed in flames. She stood on a hill and could feel the heat from the fire, but her eyes were on a tired middle-aged woman who knelt beside her. Her head was bowed and tears rolled down her face.

A deep male voice echoed sadly, "Rokuta…"

Shiori's eyes flew open. There was suddenly silence save for the noise of the rain. For the first time since the battle, Shiori became aware it was raining. The silence was eerie and gave her goose bumps along her exposed arms. Shakily she stood, staggering as she pulled herself to her feet. Thorns had embedded themselves into her arms and legs but she didn't seem to notice them as she climbed out of the brush. Before her on the path lay the bodies of all the Kingen and the entire platoon. Shiori stared and somehow the sight did not affect her.

Then she spotted it. A figure stood in the center of the battlefield covered in blood. The shape was human by Shiori could not be entirely sure. To her it appeared to be a woman with long black hair and a white dress. At the figure's side was a strange looking sword Shiori had never seen before. Suddenly the figure turned to look at her.

Shiori bolted. With strange grace she weaved through the corpses on the battlefield and ran as fast as she could. She did not look back.


	3. III :: remains

It took several days to travel from the royal palace to Dashinku. Normally it should've only taken a day and half however the small army led by Shouryuu received word of a horrible sight just near the Ryuu boarder. The king feared the worst and was disappointed to discover he was right. The bodies of dead youma and soldiers littered the muddy road. Blood had turned the ground a rusty reddish color and the smell was enough to make anyone gag. Seishou stood beside Shouryuu as they observed the carnage. The men they had brought with them moved through the wreckage in search of any survivors.

"What are youma doing in En?" Seishou mused. "It doesn't make any sense."

"They aren't from En," Shouryuu said and glanced upward. The gray clouds were still heavy in the sky and it looked like more rain at any moment.

It took Seishou a moment to understand. He looked shocked. "Ryuu?"

Shouryuu nodded. "Enki told me that Ryuu was starting to unravel. The last time he visited the kingdom he came across a disturbing amount of corruption among all the government officials. They were taking bribes and pardoning criminals left and right. One can imagine that the royal court is in the same state. These youma prove it and these soldiers are not from En."

The king glanced down the road, gauging the direction they were traveling in. It made sense they had come from Ryuu. He had been expecting the kingdom to fall ever sense he had heard Enki's report. He hadn't expected it to happen now of all times.

"This is bad timing," he grumbled.

Seishou nodded, his face grim. "If Ryuu is suffering youma attacks then the youma will start to spill into En and Kyou."

"I suspect… this is where our murderer has come from."

Seishou again looked taken aback. "Are you suggesting Ryuu attacked Dashinku?"

"I don't know. Dashinku was doing well this year with food and other supplies. If Ryuu is struggling and the government corrupt, it's possible. However the Tei province is on the other side of En, near the Kei boarder. Stragetically it doesn't make sense."

Shouryuu paused as a solider approached them both. The young man shook his head, confirming no one was left alive. Shouryuu sighed heavily.

"My suspicion is that this was the work of the youma."

He turned and began walking back towards his mount. Seishou followed, looking thoughtful as he took in what Shouryuu was saying.

"But could youma really accomplish such a thing as wiping out a whole town? That seems a little…"

"It's too early to tell," Shouryuu said and turned to Seishou. "We'll have to see for ourselves."

Seishou frowned and nodded slightly. As they left the scene of the massacred platoon the general could not help but ponder how serious Shouryuu was about this. Seishou had come to know the king well after five hundred years of serving him. What he had learned most of all was that Shouryuu did everything with a carefree like attitude. He never outright gave the impression that he was serious in whatever it was he was dealing with. This time seemed very different, however, and Seishou wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was due to the fact that so many people had died in such a short time.

_Or maybe,_ he suddenly realized, _it's because of the Taiho._

Indeed the mention of the Taiho's name at the center of this mystery was a cause for great concern. Seishou understood Shouryuu's worry in that case and also felt an increase in his own. Whatever was going on was big and the general was beginning to fear it was big enough to undo five hundred years of peace.

The destruction was worse than Shouryuu had thought. Buildings lay in ruins, a few of them still smoldering from the flames that had burned them down. Other poorer houses were simply smashed in as if someone had stepped on the roofs. Rubble lay scattered across the street mixed with food, blood and the corpses of the people who once lived happily. Women, children, and men… every age and every gender, species and class had been taken down. No one had been spared. The heavy smell of death had settled over Dashinku and it was doubtful it would ever leave.

"Search for survivors," Shouryuu ordered, voice heavy with grief. He had never been too fond of seeing his people lying dead.

Silently the soldiers began to march off in separate directions, staying together in pairs just in case. Seishou stayed beside his king with a deep frown on his face. He had seen the sight before but it still got to him.

"Your Majesty, we already…"

"We'll search again."

"Yes…"

The two walked in silence. Shouryuu knew searching for anyone alive was pointless. If anyone had survived they would be long gone by now. Even so he knew he had to try. Yet while Seishou and the soldiers looked for any living souls, Shouryuu himself searched for other things. He was looking for clues as to who might be responsible for such a thing. Anything at all that stood out as different En Ou was determined to spot it.

It was several hours later when he finally did. It was sheer luck that as he lifted up some heavier piece of wood he spotted it. It was a small bracelet made of jade beads and clearly meant for the wrist of a small child. It was not the nature of the bracelet itself that caught his attention; rather it was the silver charm hanging from the end of it. He shoved the heavy beam away and crouched, picking it up gently. Inspecting the charm he saw the Japanese writing engraved on it. Unless they were taika or kaikyaku, no one else in this world would know how to write this character in Japanese.

Noticing Shouryuu crouched down, Seishou approached behind him. "What is it?"

Shouryuu stood and closed his hand around the bracelet. "It's nothing."

Seishou turned away and Shouryuu quickly pocketed the bracelet. He didn't know what it meant just yet however he had a hunch it would be clear to him soon. For now he would keep it. Shouryuu and his men searched for a little longer afterwards before they confirmed they could find no one alive.

"It's unfortunate, but we can't do anything more for this place," Shouryuu told them. "For now we'll do what we can to prevent the same tragedy befalling any place else. We'll rest here and leave in the morning."

The small platoon set up camp on the outskirts of the ruins. Although grateful to rest physically, Shouryuu's mind was still racing. Everything about this was just unsettling. As he sat by the fire they had made, thinking about what he had seen, a commotion from the front of the camp caused him to glance up.

"A survivor? But we didn't find anyway earlier," a solider was saying loudly. "Quickly, bring her."

"She won't let us come close. She'll run away if we draw near."

Shouryuu stood quickly and moved towards the voices. Seishou was there and he stepped aside for the king.

"Your Majesty, she was trying to steal food."

In the dim firelight Shouryuu could see the shape of a small child crouched on the dirt, eyes wide and frightened. Her hair was ridiculously long and she was very filthy. He raised a hand at the soldiers surrounding her and they backed away, lowering their weapons uncertainly. He crouched to her level and smiled gently.

"Did you come from Dashinku?"

The girl's eyes widened at his voice. She said nothing so Shouryuu continued, "It's all right, and no one will hurt you. You're hungry, right?" He offered her the piece of bread he was holding.

The girl stared from him to the food in his hand hesitantly. Then she moved very slightly, inching forward on her hands and knees. Seishou watched as she came just close enough to snatch the bread from Shouryuu and scarf it down quickly. He frowned at her behavior and Shouryuu stood to join him.

"She's like a youma herself," Seishou muttered.

"I think she's just hungry. Leave her be." To the girl the king said, "You're welcome in camp. We have plenty of food to share."

He motioned the soldiers to follow him and left her be.

Shiori watched the man's retreating back in silent wonder. The taste of the sweet bread he had fed her lingered on her tongue and it made her hungrier than ever before. She sat where she had been left for several hours, watching as the soldiers went to their tents to sleep. A few remained on guard, occasionally switching with those who exited the tents. She kept her eyes on the man who had fed her, however. He remained by himself near the burning fire and did not move. The cold night air was becoming unbearable and she pulled herself to her feet. Slowly she staggered forward until she was near the fire herself. The warmth was heavenly and she sank down beside it, keeping a wary eye on the man near by.

Noticing her, he inclined his head in acknowledgement. He offered no words to her and returned to staring at the fire. So Shiori proceeded to do the same, casting uncertain looks at him occasionally. At some point he offered her more food, which she greedily ate. Eventually with the heat of the fire and a full belly, she fell asleep. Seeing this, Seishou felt it safe to finally approach.

"What are you planning to do with her?" He asked Shouryuu.

"We can't just leave her here. We'll have to take her with us back to En."

Seishou blinked. "To Shadowlore Palace? Are you sure that's wise?"

"She's just a child. Besides, I think she might be a kaikyaku."

"How can you tell?"

"Her expression when I spoke to her is one I've seen before among the kaikyaku in En."

Seishou frowned and glanced down at the sleeping girl. It might explain why she looked and acted the way she did. Still, he felt uncertain about bringing her to the palace. It seemed wiser to bring her back to a city where she could be taken care of.

"Get some sleep," Shouryuu said, interrupting his thoughts. "We're heading back early tomorrow."

Seishou nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty."


	4. IV :: shoku

"How bad are the damages?" Enki demanded.

"All the reports have not come in yet, Taiho, but from what we have so far it isn't looking good."

Enki frowned. "I see…"

He sat just below the royal throne of En, arms crossed over his chest. Before him knelt several of the En ministers. Everyone there had a look of deep concern and uncertainty on their faces. During the night a shoku had struck with such ferocity that it had taken everyone by surprise. The front of the storm had ravished En but reports of extensive damage from Kei, Han, Sou, Kyou and even as far away as Ren were coming in hourly. In all five hundred years Enki had never seen a shoku this bad.

"What about word from Mt. Hou?"

"Mt. Hou has not suffered as much damage as the kingdoms it would seem. We got a notice from them this morning telling everyone that Kouki was unharmed."

"Taiho…" Hakutaku's voice stood out over the others and Enki turned his head towards him. "I am more concerned for His Majesty."

Enki bit his lip and looked away. He had been trying not to think about that but he knew he couldn't just ignore it. Shouryuu and Seishou were out and were still out when the storm hit. Enki still didn't know where they had gone, either. He had asked and asked but under strict orders from the king no one could tell him. It had irritated him and it still was, now more than ever. Why would Shouryuu not tell him where he had gone?

"Is there a possibility that he was swept off across the Koukai?" another minister asked fearfully.

"The shoku was sure bad enough to assume _someone_ of royal blood was taken away. But I thought the shoku only carried ranka from this world, not people."

Enki scowled. "There's no way of knowing so don't go thinking about that. Someone may very well have crossed over from Over There instead. We just don't know. For now just keep taking in reports and offer the imperial army to help any places within En that need it. We need to start repairing the damages right away."

The ministers bowed and left, save for Itan and Shukou. Enki rubbed his forehead wearily.

"Taiho, we must consider it as a possibility," Shukou said seriously.

"I know. I _know_…" He looked up, irritated suddenly. "But it'd be great if someone actually told me where the hell he went at a time like this."

Itan and Shukou exchanged looks before Itan sighed heavily. "He went to investigate Dashinku."

"Dashinku?"

"In the Tei Province."

Enki looked startled. "Dashinku… Where Seishou said there had been a massacre?"

"Yes."

_Of course… I should've known he'd go there. _Something as serious and as unexpected as that would definitely be in Shouryuu's interests to investigate personally.

"First that and now this shoku… I have a bad feeling."

Enki stood from the dais and moved down the stairs to join Itan and Shukou.

"I'm going to go find him."

"That would not be advisable," Shukou replied instantly. "Since His Majesty is not here we need someone of authority to oversee what happens now. The next authority is the Taiho. Furthermore, His Majesty gave us strict orders to keep you here."

Enki scowled and looked frustrated. _Idiot king. When he gets back I'm going to hit him._

"Fine."

And with that he marched past them and towards the doors. He hadn't felt this frustrated before in his life. But perhaps more than that, he was worried. Very, very worried. If Shouryuu had been taken back to Hourai because of that shoku there was no telling where he had gone or how long it would take to locate him. Enki had no doubt _if_ he would be able to find his king. He knew he could. It was a matter of how long that would take that was the problem. Too long and Heaven's Will would be considered violated. En could fall. Something else that was bothering him was why Shouryuu would keep where he was going a secret. There must have been something more going on than he was aware of.

_Idiot…_

_

* * *

  
_

"There have been reports of extensive damages to all provinces."

"The Province of Ki has almost been completely demolished. They'll need emergency rations immediately."

In Kei, the situation was as grim as the one in En. The kingdom was hardly as well off as En and although En had taken most of the beating they were more equipped to handle it. Youko sat upon her throne, hardly looking very queenly as she was wearing casual robes. But this was an emergency and she found it was hardly appropriate to waste time dressing.

"The Wa Province is also asking for supplies," Keiki said from beside her. "We will not have enough for everyone at this rate."

The ministers knelt before the Kei throne began to mummer and Youko raised her hand to silence them.

"We'll just have to find some way to make due with what we have. Every province should get some of the rations even if they aren't asking for it. Also, encourage the provinces to help each other. Some aren't as bad off and can spare food and helping hands. I also want to be updated on the status of other kingdoms as they come in."

The ministers rose and bowed to her, at the waist as was unique to Kei, before they all filed out. Youko slumped, looking tired.

Keiki gave her a look and she sighed. "I'm debating on whether I should ask En Ou for help. I don't think Kei is equipped to handle such a disaster just yet."

"The Kingdom of En suffered extensive damage, according to the reports we have received. I don't believe they would be able to help."

"Right… I hope Rokuta and Shouryuu are okay, in that case."

"I have not heard from either of them directly."

Youko stood and nodded. "I want to send a letter then to make sure. Especially since they never answered my first one."

Keiki sighed. "But Your Majesty, there are more pressing matters to attend to right now…"

But Youko was already moving away, heading towards her room. "It won't take that long."

Keiki hurried after her, intercepting her before she left the throne room. He gave another sigh. "If Her Majesty insists, then I can send a letter instead. That will ensure you are handling everything else."

Youko blinked at his stern gaze and then smirked. "Fine, if my Taiho insists. I just want you to ask them if they and the Kingdom of En are okay. Nothing more."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

It was several days later when Youko received the reply that Shouryuu was missing.

* * *

Shouryuu awoke the morning after the shoku staring up at a bright blue sky. Several seagulls were circling overhead and the strong smell of salt hung in the air. For a brief moment Shouryuu thought he was back in Hourai, laying on the beach near his home. It took him a moment to come to his senses and remember what had happened. His body ached but nothing more, which surprised him. Even if he was immortal he had expected some kind of injury. That had been a very fierce shoku. Then again it was possible he had been injured and it had healed already. He didn't know how long he had been lying here, after all.

After a moment he finally sat up, rubbing his throbbing head as he observed his surroundings. He was on a beach all right, though where could not be determined. He wasn't sure he was even in En anymore. Ironically that thought that he might be in Hourai after all didn't cross his mind. Looking up and down the shoreline, the Ever King saw no one else. He had been separated from his men. Yet true to his character, he wasn't worried in the slightest. He climbed to his feet.

"I suppose first I need to find out where I am."

He turned and looked up. Behind him rose a very tall cliff of white rock. The cliff face was nearly completely smooth and so there was no hope of him climbing up it. Shielding his eyes from the sun, Shouryuu was silently debating on what to do when the sound of someone walking through the water alerted him. He turned and to his surprise saw the little girl he and his men had found stealing from their camp. The girl frozen in her tracks when she saw him and the ocean waves washed over her bare feet. She looked significantly less dirty than he remembered and her hair seemed wet.

"It's you," Shouryuu exclaimed and looked a bit perplexed. "You survived."

The girl looked equally as surprised for a moment before her face became neutral. She nodded. Well this made things a bit more complicated.

"Do you have a name?"

"Shiori."

It was the first time he had heard her speak. Her voice sounded hoarse and could barely be heard over the waves. To Shouryuu it sounded like she hadn't used it in months.

"All right then, Shiori. I'm going to go see if there's a place to climb up these cliffs. You're free to come with me if you'd like."

Shiori hesitated, looking back over her should as if someone might be following her. She nodded after a moment's thought and closed the distance between them until she was standing right next to him.

"Who… are you?"

Shouryuu began to walk and the girl hurried after him.

"You can call me Fuukan if you'd like."

"Fuukan…"

The two continued to walk in silence. The cliff side remained flat most of the way, however it began to slant downward. Eventually they came to a point where even without proper footing they could climb up it easily. Upon accomplishing that Shouryuu was instantly able to determine they were still in En. However he could also tell they were very far from Dashinku where they had started. Even further from the imperial palace.

"Interesting. I believe we're near the Ryuu boarder."

"Ryuu?"

"Yes, which means we're in the Kou province."

And the Kou province was under the Taiho's jurisdiction. So perhaps this wouldn't be as difficult as Shouryuu had thought. However first they had to reach Hokuro and that was on the other side of the province. It would be a long journey from here. Shouryuu sighed.

"We have a long way to go. Can you make it that far?"

Shiori looked up at the strange man named Fuukan. This man who had saved her and who was offering the first companionship she had found in a long, long time. Could she really trust him? More so, did she even have a choice? She had no idea where she was.

"I can make it."

Shouryuu studied her for a moment before he smiled. "Very well. Let's be on our way."

* * *

"Taiho, you have a visitor," Shukou announced.

Enki glanced over his shoulder. He'd been leaning against the railing, looking out over the sky sea. It had officially been a week and a half after the shoku had hit. Recovery was going slower than it should be and this was partially his fault. He was too restless. He had to go out and look for Shouryuu, not sit here and oversee something the ministers could take care of on their own. But Shukou continued to be very insistence that he stay and so Enki had stayed. Communications with other kingdoms had painted a picture of worldwide destruction thanks to this storm.

The kirin followed Shukou to the main hall and was surprised to see the brilliant red hair of Youko. He had completely forgotten about the letters they had recently exchanged.

"Youko! What are you doing here?" Enki demanded, moving past Shukou to greet her. "Shouldn't you be overseeing the repairs in Kei?"

Kei had suffered almost as badly as En, though technically Kei had suffered worse. En was wealthy enough to handle this disaster but Kei still was not.

Youko smiled. "It's all right. We're managing just fine. The damage isn't actually as bad as we all thought so I left Keiki to it for right now. I've been more worried about you."

"Me?"

"En Ou is still missing, isn't he?"

Enki nodded, thought he still looked perplexed about why Youko would be worried about him. He motioned for her to follow him, telling Shukou he could go. Enki led her outside, walking along the pathway that wound around the inner palace.

"I'm afraid that he might… have gone somewhere where he won't be easily found."

Youko frowned. "To Hourai? Is that possible?"

"I don't know. Usually ranka are taken from Here to Over There, never people. People come from Over There."

"I still don't understand. Why was he caught in the shoku in the first place?"

Rokuta paused, bowing his head slightly. Youko stopped a few steps ahead, looking at him with worry. He seemed all right and yet she could tell he was very worried about the Ever King. This was understandable, of course. Without the king on the throne En was in danger.

"He went out somewhere to investigate something. I don't… know a lot about it. He never told me."

Which wasn't a total lie. He knew more than he wanted to tell Youko but not enough to answer any of her questions. For Youko's part she was surprised. Somehow she never thought Shouryuu would leave and never tell Enki of all people where he was going. It struck her as incredibly worrisome.

Shaking his head, the Taiho abruptly changed the subject. "Tai reported damage as extensive as Kei. Kyou had moderate damage but nothing significant. Meanwhile Sai, Han, Ren and Sou only have mild damage compared to us. Kou and Hou have no ruler so there were no reports to be sure. And there was no response from Ryuu and Shun as usual, but I think it's a safe bet that they got hit hard too."

"So the eastern kingdoms got it the worst. En, Kei, Ryuu, Kou, Tai and Shun… That's half of the this world that got devastated by this shoku."

Enki nodded. "Thankfully most of the eastern kingdoms are stable now and can deal with this. However I should warn you that Kei might be flooded with more Kou refugees than it can handle thanks to this."

"I know… That was brought up already. I don't know what I'm going to do if that happens." Youko paused before adding, "I'm actually more concerned about the Ever-King."

"It's fine, we have some of our better soldiers looking for him."

Youko noted Enki didn't sound too confident. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Enki chuckled lightly, giving her a small smile. "It isn't your problem, Youko."

"Of course it is," Youko scowled and crossed her arms over her chest, giving the kirin a hard look. "Both of you have done so much for me since I arrived in this world and since I ascended the throne. I can't just ignore this and not help. I owe En that much at least."

Enki bit his lip and looked away, out into the gardens nearby. He was torn between telling Youko to return to Kei where her kingdom needed her and accepting her help, though he knew either way she would just do what she wanted. She was very stubborn. He ran his fingers through his hair.

"I don't need help finding Shouryuu. What I need is to go out myself and look. I can follow the oki and find his exact location in no time. But…"

But no one in the palace would let him leave. Rokuta leaned on his arms on the railing, staring absently out at the garden without really seeing it. Youko stepped up beside him with a confused look on her face.

"I don't understand. Why are you listening to the ministers? You're the Taiho, you overrule them."

"It was Shouryuu who gave the order, not them. So technically I have no choice but to obey."

"That doesn't sound like you."

Enki bowed his head slightly. "When the time is right I'll go. I can sense the oki even here. It's faint, but… at least I know he's all right."

"Well, if you're sure you can do this on your own…"

Enki turned his head and grinned. "I am. Don't worry."

Youko frowned. Somehow she was still worried. There was something about this whole mess that left her feeling uneasy. The shoku had been an ill omen. As she left Enki to his thoughts and then the next day left En all together, the queen of Kei couldn't help but feel that the real trouble was yet to come.


End file.
